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‘We’re entitled to 5 extra seats’, Trump says on Texas redistricting battle
Talking to CNBC earlier, the president mentioned that Republicans are entitled to the 5 extra seats they stand to select up if the Texas GOP’s new congressional map is handed.
“In Illinois, what’s occurred is horrible what they’re doing. And also you discover, they go to Illinois for security, however that’s all gerrymandered. California is gerrymandered. We should always have many extra seats in Congress in California. It’s all gerrymandered,” he added.
Key occasions
Lots of the Texas lawmakers who fled the state to interrupt quorum are talking now at a press convention with Illinois governor JB Pritzker.
“Texas Home Democrats are main the best way in selecting braveness and nation over politics and get together,” Priztker mentioned.
Home Oversight Committee subpoenas DOJ for Epstein information
The Home Oversight Committee has issued a subpoena to the justice division for “information associated to Epstein”. The committee has additionally issued deposition subpoenas to quite a lot of excessive profile people, together with Invoice and Hillary Clinton, former FBI director James Comey, and former lawyer basic Invoice Barr.
In latest months, the Epstein information have been the Trump administration’s albatross. The fallout over the information has enraged lawmakers on either side of the aisle, notably after Home speaker Mike Johnson despatched lawmakers residence early for August recess to keep away from votes on releasing information in regards to the Epstein investigations.
Oliver Laughland
Donald Trump’s second presidency has led to allegations of pervasive self-dealing.
From the acceptance of a luxurious jet from the state of Qatar, to the creation of a Trump cryptocurrency, the president has been accused of monetizing the White Home whereas enacting a swath of utmost coverage. My colleague, Tom Silverstone, and I travelled throughout south Florida, visiting Turning Level’s pupil motion summit, assembly the Republican strategist Steve Bannon, and witnessing occasions on the harsh new detention centre “Alligator Alcatraz”.
I simply spoke with Consultant Gina Hinojosa, a Texas Democrat who fled the state along with her colleagues. She’s now in a suburb exterior Chicago.
She confirmed that Ken Martin – chair of the Democratic Nationwide Committee – will be part of the Texas lawmakers in Illinois for a roundtable dialogue at the moment.
Rep. Hinojosa mentioned that she’s dedicated to staying out of the Texas Capitol for “so long as it takes”. She added that Governor Abbott does “not have the ability” to take away legislators from elected workplace, calling it “disrespectful” to voters. She additionally advised me that lawmakers who left the state have “acquired nothing however gratitude” and messages of assist from their constituents.
“It’s not best. It’s simply the fact,” she mentioned of the redistricting arms race which may escalate throughout the nation if the brand new Texas map is handed.
“Democrats have to combat to win,” she mentioned. “We combat to win for the day, and we take tomorrow because it comes.”
‘We’re entitled to 5 extra seats’, Trump says on Texas redistricting battle
Talking to CNBC earlier, the president mentioned that Republicans are entitled to the 5 extra seats they stand to select up if the Texas GOP’s new congressional map is handed.
“In Illinois, what’s occurred is horrible what they’re doing. And also you discover, they go to Illinois for security, however that’s all gerrymandered. California is gerrymandered. We should always have many extra seats in Congress in California. It’s all gerrymandered,” he added.
‘The gave phony numbers with a view to win the election’, Trump says of fired BLS commissioner
In an interview on CNBC at the moment, Donald Trump mentioned that the Bureau of Labor Statistics beneath former commissioner Erika McEntarfer – who he fired final week after she issued a jobs report that confirmed stalled progress – was accountable for issuing “phony” jobs numbers simply earlier than the 2024 presidential election.
He went on to say, with out proof, these numbers have been rigged to assist Democratic nominee Kamala Harris. Trump cited the revision the BLS made two weeks after the election which was a notable change from the unique report. CNBC host Joe Kernen tried to reality verify the president by highlighting these have been benchmark figures which are a part of the BLS’ annual course of.
“These numbers have been rigged, Biden was doing poorly,” Trump mentioned.
Bondi launches grand jury investigation into Obama administration dealing with of 2016 Russian election interference
Lawyer basic Pam Bondi has ordered justice division officers to launch a probe into how Obama-era officers dealt with Russian interference within the 2016 election.
Reuters studies that the DOJ will examine allegations that the Obama administration manufactured intelligence on Russia’s interference, based on a supply aware of the matter.
Final month, director of nationwide intelligence Tulsi Gabbard mentioned that she had acquired “overwhelming proof” that demonstrates Obama and his nationwide safety officers “manufactured and politicized intelligence to put the groundwork for what was primarily a years-long coup towards President Trump.” She declassified quite a few paperwork as proof of what described as “treasonous conspiracy” from the Obama administration to undermine Donald Trump’s 2016 victory.
After Gabbard’s doc launch, the justice division fashioned a taskforce in July to research the allegations additional. Democrats, in response, have criticised Gabbard’s makes an attempt to re-litigate a 2020 bipartisan Senate Intelligence evaluate that did discover proof that Russia engaged in an “aggressive” effort to affect the end result of the 2016 election.
It’s a quiet August Tuesday on the president’s schedule at the moment. The one listed merchandise on his agenda is an government order signing at 4pm EDT. We don’t know the small print of that simply but.
Trump can also be talking on CNBC now, and we’ll carry you the most recent from that interview.

Nina Lakhani
The Trump administration’s determination to abruptly terminate a $3bn program serving to tons of of communities put together for local weather disasters and environmental hazards is unconstitutional and ought to be overturned, a court docket will hear on Tuesday.
A coalition of non-profits, tribes and native governments is suing the Environmental Safety Company (EPA) and the company’s administrator Lee Zeldin for terminating the whole Environmental and Local weather Justice (ECJ) block grant program – regardless of a legally binding mandate from Congress to fund the Biden-era initiative.
It’s the first-of-a-kind proposed class motion lawsuit that will drive the EPA and Zeldin to reinstate this system and every particular person grant, fairly than forcing the recipients to sue individually.
The $3bn ECJ program was created by Congress by the 2022 Inflation Discount Act (IRA) – a protracted standing supply for ire for Trump and his polluting trade allies – to assist traditionally deprived communities give you native options to enhance resilience within the face of worsening local weather shocks and environmental degradation.
It was meant by Congress to fund community-based tasks throughout the nation to deal with longstanding and urgent environmental harms that trigger demise and in poor health well being from hazards together with industrial air pollution, lead pipes, flooding and concrete warmth islands. Virtually 350 rural and concrete teams, cities and tribes have been chosen by the EPA from 2,700 candidates, by a rigorous course of that included longterm accountability and oversight over the funds.

Anna Betts
Greater than 40 folks protesting the warfare and worsening humanitarian disaster in Gaza have been arrested exterior the Trump Worldwide resort in New York Metropolis on Monday night.
The protest, organized by IfNotNow, a Jewish-American anti-occupation group, had begun earlier within the night at Columbus Circle. Lots of gathered beneath the banner “Trump: Jews Say No Extra” to demand an finish to the warfare in Gaza and that the Trump administration strain Israel to permit larger humanitarian help to enter into territory, as well being officers there proceed to report deaths from hunger and malnutrition.
“Let’s not mince phrases, the Israeli authorities’s blockade of Gaza is a coverage of ethnic cleaning by the use of pressured mass hunger,” mentioned Morriah Kaplan, IfNotNow’s interim government director, throughout her speech to the group. “It’s an insufferable, unspeakable, unfathomable affront to our shared humanity and those that are carrying it out and are deploying our Jewish symbols, language and traditions to defend and justify it, which is why I’m heartened to see such a spread of Jews and Jewish organizations coming collectively at the moment to say with one voice that we oppose these atrocities, not despite our Judaism, however for many people, due to it.”
“We want the US authorities to make use of its appreciable leverage to finish these horrors,” she added.
Protesters held indicators that learn “cease ethnic cleaning”, “by no means once more is now” “cease ravenous Gaza” and “not in our title” and audio system included Ruth Messinger, Rabbi Jill Jacobs, the T’ruah CEO, and Brad Lander, the New York Metropolis comptroller.
“Yesterday was the Jewish vacation of Tisha B’Av wherein Jews mourn the destruction of the folks of Israel,” Lander mentioned, “and what we’re witnessing proper now could be destruction brought on by the State of Israel.”
Rwanda reached cope with US to soak up as much as 250 migrants, authorities says
The USA and Rwanda have agreed for the African nation to just accept as much as 250 migrants deported from the US, the spokesperson for the Rwandan authorities and an official advised Reuters, as president Donald Trump’s administration takes a hardline strategy towards immigration.
The settlement, first reported by Reuters, was signed by US and Rwandan officers in Kigali in June, mentioned the Rwandan official, talking on situation of anonymity, including that Washington had already despatched an preliminary listing of 10 folks to be vetted.
“Rwanda has agreed with america to just accept as much as 250 migrants, partly as a result of practically each Rwandan household has skilled the hardships of displacement, and our societal values are based on reintegration and rehabilitation,” mentioned the spokesperson for the Rwandan authorities, Yolande Makolo.
“Below the settlement, Rwanda has the flexibility to approve every particular person proposed for resettlement. These permitted can be supplied with workforce coaching, healthcare, and lodging assist to jumpstart their lives in Rwanda, giving them the chance to contribute to one of many fastest-growing economies on the earth over the past decade.”
Swiss president Karin Keller-Sutter will journey to Washington in a while Tuesday for conferences with US authorities on bettering Switzerland’s customs state of affairs, the federal government mentioned.
“The goal is to make the US a extra engaging provide with a view to scale back the extent of extra tariffs on Swiss exports, whereas taking US issues into consideration,” the federal government mentioned in an announcement.
Switzerland, residence to a number of the world’s best-known luxurious manufacturers, was left shocked after the US president on Friday imposed one of many highest tariff charges in his world commerce reset. Business associations mentioned tens of hundreds of jobs have been in danger.
Native media had reported that after three months of talks, negotiators believed that they had secured a ten% tariff on exports to the US, a key marketplace for Swiss merchandise akin to luxurious watches, jewelry and chocolate but additionally equipment and prescription drugs.
However after a 30-minute name with Keller-Sutter on Thursday night variously described as “bad-tempered”, “disastrous” and “badly misjudged”, Trump imposed a levy even larger than the 31% he had introduced on his so-called “liberation day” in April.
Switzerland’s blue-chip inventory market index opened 1.8% decrease on Monday, the primary day of buying and selling because the tariff announcement on Swiss Nationwide Day, a public vacation. The cupboard mentioned after an emergency assembly it might enhance its provide to Trump.
Putin doubts efficiency of Trump’s ultimatum to finish the warfare, sources say
Russian president Vladimir Putin is unlikely to bow to a sanctions ultimatum expiring this Friday from US president Donald Trump, and retains the purpose of capturing 4 areas of Ukraine of their entirety, sources near the Kremlin advised Reuters.
Trump has threatened to hit Russia with new sanctions and impose 100% tariffs on international locations that purchase its oil – of which the largest are China and India – until Putin agrees to a ceasefire in Russia’s warfare in Ukraine.
Putin’s willpower to maintain going is prompted by his perception that Russia is successful and by scepticism that but extra US sanctions may have a lot of an impression after successive waves of financial penalties throughout the years of warfare, based on three sources aware of discussions within the Kremlin.
The Russian chief doesn’t need to anger Trump, and he realises that he could also be spurning an opportunity to enhance relations with Washington and the West, however his warfare objectives take priority, two of the sources mentioned.
Putin’s purpose is to completely seize the Ukrainian areas of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson, which Russia has claimed as its personal, after which to speak a couple of peace settlement, one of many sources mentioned.
Richard Luscombe
Mike Johnson turned the very best ranked US official to go to the occupied West Financial institution on Monday, the Republican Home speaker drawing measures of reward and condemnation for his journey in assist of Israeli settlements amid a worsening hunger disaster in Gaza.
The tour adopted Johnson’s arrival in Israel on Sunday on an unannounced go to with different Republican lawmakers, and his assembly with Israeli protection minister Israel Katz and international minister Gideon Saar.
Johnson’s go to to the West Financial institution is the very best profile by a senior US political determine since then secretary of state Mike Pompeo went to Psogat in November 2020 throughout the ultimate months of Donald Trump’s first presidency.
It’s a personal journey hosted by a pro-Israel advocacy group, an Axios report mentioned, and never an official congressional delegation. The outlet mentioned Johnson traveled with fellow Republican representatives Michael McCaul, Nathaniel Moran and Michael Cloud of Texas, and Claudia Tenney of New York.
Johnson advised Israeli settlers on Monday that Israel was the “rightful proprietor” of the contested Palestinian territory, based on a report printed on the pro-Palestinian web site Frequent Desires, and individually, Marc Zell, the chair of Republicans Abroad Israel.
Michael Sainato
The previous Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) commissioners and non-partisan financial teams have criticized Donald Trump’s shock firing of BLS commissioner Erika McEntarfer after the July jobs report information revealed jobs progress stalled this summer time.
Trump, with none proof to again his claims, alleged McEntarfer “faked” employment numbers within the run-up to the 2024 election to spice up Kamala Harris’s probabilities and mentioned that the latest information was “rigged” to make Trump and Republicans look dangerous.
The Trump administration has continued to repeat the allegations. The Nationwide Financial Council director Kevin Hassett, a Trump appointee, has claimed “all around the US authorities, there have been individuals who have been resisting Trump all over the place they’ll,” in justifying the firing.
Mates of BLS, a bunch chaired by former BLS commissioners Erica Groshen, an Obama appointee, and William Seashore, Trump’s appointee throughout his first time period, strongly criticized the firing of McEntarfer, Trump’s allegations, and known as on Congress to behave.
“We name on Congress to reply instantly, to research the components that led to Commissioner McEntarfer’s removing, to strongly urge the Commissioner’s continued service, and make sure that the nonpartisan integrity of the place is retained,” Mates of BLS wrote in an announcement. “This rationale for firing Dr McEntarfer is with out advantage and undermines the credibility of federal financial statistics which are a cornerstone of clever financial decision-making by companies, households, and policymakers.”
The Affiliation of Public Knowledge Customers, the Nationwide Affiliation for Enterprise Economics and the American Financial Affiliation additionally criticized the firing.
US border brokers have been directed to cease deportations beneath President Donald Trump’s asylum ban, CBS Information reported Monday citing two unnamed Division of Homeland Safety officers.
The course comes after a three-judge panel on the US Courtroom of Appeals for the District of Columbia circuit on Friday partially granted an order that restricted the asylum ban, saying it can’t be used to thoroughly droop humanitarian protections for asylum seekers, based on CBS.
Officers at Customs and Border Safety have been instructed this weekend to cease deportations Trump’s asylum ban and course of migrants beneath US immigration legislation, CBS mentioned.
Final month, a decrease court docket decide blocked Trump’s ban on asylum on the US-Mexico border, saying that Trump had exceeded his authority when he issued a proclamation declaring unlawful immigration an emergency and setting apart current authorized processes.
The American Civil Liberties Union introduced the problem to Trump’s asylum ban in February on behalf of three advocacy teams and migrants denied entry to asylum, arguing the broad ban violated US legal guidelines and worldwide treaties.
Texas governor threatens arrest of Democrats absent at redistricting vote
Hiya and welcome to the US politics reside weblog. My title is Tom Ambrose and I can be bringing you all the most recent information strains over the subsequent few hours.
We begin with information that Texas governor Greg Abbott has escalated the standoff over redrawing the state’s congressional districts by threatening to arrest Democratic lawmakers who’re utilizing their collective absence from the state capital to forestall the transfer.
Greater than 50 Democrats have fled from Texas, staging a form of momentary political exile in Democratic-led states, Reuters studies. It’s meant to disclaim Republicans in Austin the quorum essential to vote on their redistricting plan, championed by president Donald Trump.
By redrawing strains in hopes of flipping some seats within the US Home of Representatives at the moment held by Democrats, the Republican Celebration goals to guard its slim majority in subsequent 12 months’s congressional midterm elections. Trump has advised reporters he expects the trouble to yield as many as 5 extra Home Republicans.
Throughout Monday’s statehouse session in Austin, the Republican speaker of the Texas Home of Representatives issued civil warrants for the wayward Democrats – most of whom have gone to Illinois, New York or Massachusetts – to be introduced again to Austin.
“To make sure compliance, I ordered the Texas Division of Public Security to find, arrest, and return to the Home chamber any member who has deserted their obligation to Texans,” Abbott mentioned in an announcement.
However the transfer appears largely symbolic. The warrants apply solely throughout the state, and breaking quorum isn’t a criminal offense that will enable Texas authorities to pursue extradition from different states.
Learn our newest story right here:
In different developments:
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The previous Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) commissioners and non-partisan financial teams have criticized Donald Trump’s shock firing of BLS commissioner Erika McEntarfer after the July jobs report information revealed jobs progress stalled this summer time.
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About 600 former Israeli safety officers, together with earlier heads of the Mossad and the army, have urged Donald Trump to strain Israel to finish the warfare in Gaza because the nation’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, considers increasing the battle.
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Mike Johnson turned the very best ranked US official to go to the occupied West Financial institution on Monday, the Republican Home speaker drawing measures of reward and condemnation for his journey in assist of Israeli settlements amid a worsening hunger disaster in Gaza.
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Greater than 40 folks protesting the warfare in Gaza and worsening humanitarian disaster have been arrested exterior the Trump Worldwide resort in New York Metropolis on Monday night.
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Donald Trump’s particular envoy is predicted in Moscow days earlier than the US president’s deadline on Friday for Russia to make progress on ending the warfare in Ukraine or face elevated US sanctions.
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The US state division has ready plans to impose bonds as excessive as $15,000 for some tourism and enterprise visas, based on a draft of a short lived ultimate rule. The bonds can be issued to guests from international locations with important overstay charges, beneath a 12-month pilot program.
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The Trump administration is looking for to dam veterans from receiving abortions at hospitals run by the Division of Veterans Affairs in instances of rape or incest, or when a veteran’s being pregnant has imperiled their well being, based on new paperwork filed by the administration.
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The Swiss inventory market has plunged, the cupboard has held disaster talks and the nation’s president has been accused of mishandling an important telephone name with the White Home after Donald Trump hit the nation with a shock 39% export tariff.
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Information Corp, a part of the Murdoch household media empire, has introduced it’s going to carry a model of the brash rightwing New York Put up to California in early 2026.
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Marjorie Taylor Greene mentioned that she feels the Republican get together has misplaced contact with its base – however she mentioned she has no plans to depart the get together.
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Greater than a dozen Democratic members of Congress signed a letter that urges the Trump administration to recognise Palestinian statehood, in a draft copy shared with the Guardian.